Serie A Have Banned Gold, Silver & "Fluorescent" Kit Fonts
The Italian Serie A brought us a poisoned gift this Christmas by introducing stricter kit regulations. Already before the latest update of the Equipment Regulations, Lega Serie A already banned several kit font colors.
The regulations for the Serie A numbers are defined in Article 3 of the official Serie A 2023-24 Equipment Regulations (Italian - PDF "Images" Only)
Serie A Equipment Regulations Do Not Allow Gold, Silver & "Fluorescent" Colors For Streamlined Unifrom Typeface
Serie A rules say that it is "forbidden to use fluorescent colors, gold and silver" for kit numbers. This is the reason why Inter had no gold numbers in 21-22, Milan have no fluorescent-green font for their third kit and other imperfect kit colors.
The rule is in some cases illogical
What makes this rule questionable is that the color of the font says nothing about its legibility. For example, the fluorescent green would have been much better visible than the black used by Milan for the third in the end.
Indeed, Serie A are more strict with font colors than any other competition. FIFA allow teams to have gold numbers, as used by France in the 2022 World Cup.
Premier League only offer 5 default colors but no custom colors at all
However, it has to be noted that Serie A's streamlined kit typeface still offers a lot more variation than the streamlined Premier League font. The Premier League font is only available in 5 different colors.
There are more rules about the kit typeface, but none is unique to Serie A. You can see all the number regulations below.
Serie A Equipment Regulations - Article 3 - Numbers
- The numbers must appear in the center of the back of all players and have a height between 25 and 30 cm. The numbers must also appear on the front of the shorts, on one or all legs, in any position. These numbers must have a height between 10 and 15 cm.
- The numbers must be of a single color and must be clearly distinguishable from the color of the background on which they are placed (light on dark and vice versa). They must also be readable even from considerable distances by spectators in a high stadium or in front of a large TV screen. In the case of striped magtie and indicate a background of neutral color (light motto or dark motto and in any case in contrast with the color of the number).
- Issues must not contain writing, advertising or graphic elements other than as provided below. Each single digit that makes up the number affixed in the center of the back may contain, in the lower part of the same and for a maximum area of 5 cm^, the emblem officiated by the Company or another symbol that is clearly attributable to the Company itself.
- The design of the numbers is provided by Lega Nazionate Professionisti Serie A to all Serie A clubs so that a unique font can be applied to the game uniforms on the occasion of the official competitions organized by the Lega itself.
- It is forbidden to use fluorescent colors, gold and silver;
- A "contrasting" profile/outline with the color of the shirt (not tone on tone) must be provided;
- Any! "frames" created within the numbers must be tone-on-tone and may in no case reproduce the Team logo or part of it, the name of the Club or part of it, drawings, graphic insertions, or integrated writings/phrases
What do you think of Serie A banning gold, silver & fluorescent colors for kit fonts? Let us know in the comments below, and check out the full Serie A 2023-24 Equipment Regulations (Italian - PDF "Images" Only).
